Stephen Thompson vs. Rory MacDonald
The fight was ostensibly a UFC welterweight title eliminator. The first round began and they touch gloves. Sizing each other up. Crowd chants Rory. 4:00. Rory rolls for a heelhook, Thompson avoids. Wow. Sizing each other up. Rory grazes a high kick. 3:00. Crowd chants let's go Rory. Rory rolls for the leg again, Thompson avoids. 2:00. Very patient fight to say the least. Thompson tries a switch spin kick. Thompson sidekicks the body. Rory lands a right, and a right elbow, eats a right inside, they clinch. 30. "Knee!" Rory breaks with a left. Thompson blocks a high kick. R1 ends, not sure how the hell to score that one, I guess 10-9 for Thompson? Nah.. I don't know. Yeah I guess 10-9 Thompson? R2 began. Thompson lands a leg kick. 4:00. They trade missed jabs and Rory lands an inside kick. Thompson lands a leg kick. Rory knees the body inside. Thompson was told to close his hands and said yes sir. 3:00. Thompson lands a grazing right. Rory rolls for a leg again but can't get it. Thompson sidekicks the body. He tries a high hook kick. 2:00. Rory shoots for a single, works hard. Thompson stuffs it and Rory breaks with a left elbow. There's the year layoff for Rory to consider. Thompson lands a leg kick. 1:00. Thompson blocks a high kick. Thompson sidekicks the body. He tries a hook kick. Nice exchange. 35. 15. Thompson sidekciks teh body. Some boos. R2 ends, 10-9 Thompson. R3 began and they touch gloves. Thompson sidekicks the body. Rory lands a good right. Thompson lands a counter left uppercut. Thompson lands a jab. 4:00. Thompson lands a right. Looked away for a second, they're on the ground, I guess Rory had rolled for a heelhook, Thompson defended and he stands and escapes. 3:00. Thompson lands a body kick and a right. Nice exchange. Rory lands a counter right. Thompson lands a left. 2:00. Thompson lands a body kick. Rory lands a right. Thompson lands a right uppercut glancing. Rory lands a body kick, eats a sidekick. Thompson lands a left uppercut. Boos. Thompson lands a leg kick. 1:00. Thompson lands a left. 30 as Thompson ladns a right hook, then a left jab. 15. Rory lands a right. He lands a jab. Thompson replies. Some boos. R3 ends, I'd say 10-9 Thompson but the closest one since the first for sure. R4 began. Thompson lands a sidekick to the body. Thompson lands a good right hook. Rory knees the body, eats a counter left, 4:00. Thompson lands a leg kick. Thompson lands a body kick and eats a left. Rory lands a counter left. Thompson lands a counter right. 3:00. Thompson lands a left uppercut. Thompson lands a left uppercut. He lands a right to the body. Thompson lands a leg kick. And another. Thompson lands a left uppercut. 2:00. He sidekicks the body. Some boos. Louder. Thompson lands a left. He sidekicks the body. Thompson lands a leg kick eating a jab from Rory. 1:00. Thompson lands a left to the body. Boos. He sidekicks the body. And lands a counter right. 35. 15. Thompson lands a right and a left uppercut. R4 ends, 10-9 Thompson, boos. Rory looks very disheartened in his corner. R5 began and they touch gloves. Thompson lands a leg kick. He lands a left uppercut and a right. Thompson lands a hard right and eats a counter left. 4:00. Rory lands a counter right and a high kick. Thompson lands a left and a right a right and eats a right and a left. Oh shit. Crowd chants Rory. Thompson lands a body kick. "If you blinked you missed it." I did. Thompson apparently landed something, I think a wheel kick partially landed. Yep. Big hematoma over Rory's left eye. Rory tries a takedown, Thompson lands on top reversing it, in side control. Rory's nose is bleeding. Thompson lands a couple short right elbows. 2:00. Thompson stands and lets him up, they touch gloves. Thompson hurts him with a high kick, lands a right and another. Thompson lands a left, left uppercut. 1:00. Rory's nose might be shattered again. Thompson lands a body kick. Thompson lands a right. Rory lands a right. 35. Thompson lands a left. Rory knees the body. He lands a front kick. Thompson lands a right. He lands a left uppercut. 15. He lands a blocked wheel kick. R5 ends and they hug, 10-9 Thompson. 50-45 Thompson, 49-46 at the very least. One 48-47 but UD. The two corners congratulate each other, super classy. He says he wants the title. "I want the winner of Lawler and Woodley." Rory said it was a hard fight. "He's a tricky guy."